It’s had a long and varied history, but one 166-acre swatch of Yolo County may finally have a purpose — it will be left alone.

That is, Explorit Science Center, the city of Woodland and Tuleyome aim to turn the parcel into a “Science and Nature Reserve,” which would serve multiple purposes.

The area, located east of County Road 102 and south of County Road 25, once acted as Woodland’s dumping grounds. In the 1980s and 1990s, the northern portion of the field was excavated for that reason and later, Woodland-Davis Aeromodelers used the open, flat space as a locale for flying events. They constructed a small landing strip and also brought their crafts down on the Willow Slough, a nearby creek.

But that still left much of the field idle, and local organizations struggled to direct its potential.

The landfill was capped and now provides a rolling topography suitable for hiking, biking and cross-country running trail through grassland with views of the Sierra Nevada, Snow Mountain, Mt. Diablo and the Sutter Buttes. So why not leave it that way?

Granted, the suggested preserve would don a new structure, which would act as a sort of “field and lab” site for K-12 and community college programs, according to Woodland-based Tuleyome and Davis-based Explorit.

Recent talks suggest the facility would have outdoor and indoor spaces for visitors, learning labs, classrooms, lecture halls, and even be able to host banquets and community gatherings of up to 200 people with a kitchen to serve small and large events. The landing strip would be reused as the main parking lot.

In a July meeting on the potential project, Woodland Councilman Skip Davies said the preserve could be a “legacy opportunity” for the city. Yolo County has been listed as one of the fastest growing, based on state figures. The new reserve would likely source interest from schools, students, and those interested in learning more about Woodland’s natural features.

Tuleyome works to preserve as well as restore wilderness areas and is best known recently for its work to declare the Berryessa Snow Mountain area as a national monument.

Explorit, based in Davis, is a nonprofit science center founded in 1982, whose mission is to “ignite and foster curiosity about science and nature through inquiry and discovery.”

The vision of Explorit is to stimulate scientific curiosity, particularly among the young, by providing opportunities for hands-on science exploration to about 65,000 people in 17 Northern California counties each year through mobile and on-site programs that connect science to everyday life.

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Much of the support for these programs and the museum exhibits comes from donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.

Explorit’s goal is to spark a curiosity and interest in science and nature, primarily through interactive, inquiry-based learning.

About the Author

Hans Peter is a staff writer and photojournalist who covers several beats, namely policy, local government, events and cannabis issues. Hans moved here from Northern Minnesota and greatly appreciates California's diverse topography and warm weather. To showcase this, he writes a bi-weekly travel column that features nearby destinations. He enjoys hiking, mountain biking, the general outdoors and beer. Reach the author at hpeter@dailydemocrat.com
or follow Hans on Twitter: @SacTown_Proud.